In the prior art it is known to do automatic testing of telecommunications switching systems. Such testing systems function by electrically connecting to telephone links coming from the telecommunications switching system. The testing system then can place calls through the telecommunications switching system to another telephone link that is also terminated by the testing system. To verify that an audio path is set up through the telecommunications switching system, the testing system transmits a multifrequency dialing tone through the telecommunications system and utilizes a multifrequency detection circuit to recognize the tone. Recognition of the tone verifies that an audio path has been set up through the telecommunications switching system. Such testing systems are utilized to place varying amounts of telephone traffic through the telecommunications switching system to verify that the telecommunications switching system can handle these various levels of traffic.
Such testing systems are not only used during the development of a telecommunications switching system to verify that the various features operate and that the telecommunications switching system has the necessary call transport capability but also during manufacturing. During the manufacturing, telecommunications switching systems testing systems are utilized to verify that the telecommunications switching system is functioning. In addition, the features associated with each telephone link are loaded into the testing system, and the testing system verifies that the various features assigned individually to the telephone links are available on those links with no additional features being available on the telephone links.
With the advent of multimedia communication switching systems, the problem of testing has become much more difficult. The actual capability of the switching network under test to reliably and accurately communicate a video and voice transport must be carefully tested. In addition, new mechanisms for controlling a multimedia terminal are emerging rather than simple signalling protocols that have been traditionally used on telephone links. Finally, the complexity of the terminal features that are available and, hence, must be tested, are increasing dramatically with the introduction of multimedia communication switching systems.